The BJP headquarters in the capital’s Harmu has a call centre. The Congress was constantly monitoring its Shakti app. JVM leader Babulal Marandi, Ajsu Party chief Sudeh Mahto and JMM working president Hemant Soren were taking feedback from ground-level workers.

The war rooms of the political parties were buzzing with activity with the elections getting underway.

“Our general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santosh, besides senior party leaders Om Prakash Mathur and Ramlal, are monitoring everything,” said a senior state BJP leader involved in backroom strategy. “They are being helped by senior leaders of the party. Our workers on the ground are engaged in the polling and they regularly pass information. Besides, in every constituency we have deployed some people without disclosing their identity to local cadres who also update us about the emerging polling and election scenario.”

The BJP juggernaut has an edge in terms of real-time planning and communication with workers at the booth level. During formation of the booth-level committees, all workers’ mobile numbers and other details were taken, pointed out the leader.

“So we had the benefit of contacting them to get actual status of polling and mood of people,” he said. “Today also back to back meetings were held on information we were getting from the ground and necessary directions were given. The chief Minister is also keeping tabs. Ahead of the polling party workers at the booth level were asked to call and contact voters to ensure that they vote. We know about the pockets where we are strong and weak.”

JVM president Babulal Marandi, who campaigned in Assembly constituencies under Hazaribagh district on Saturday, is the lone fighter and strategist of his party.

“Our small office at Kadru in Ranchi serves as the war room,” said Tauhid Alam, media in-charge of the JVM. “Marandiji in consultation with us decides what to do next. We are focusing on media and ground management. Some of the leaders who are good speakers have been asked to join panel debates on news channels. We don’t have logistics and infrastructure like the BJP but we have cadres who are committed for the party and Marandiji. We will the change dynamics of state politics.”

The Congress too has an active war room at the party office in Ranchi where state in-charge RPN Singh was monitoring the ongoing election.

“Recently, we had launched Shakti app for membership drive, which is one of the best and most powerful weapons for us to know about our supporters and workers at the micro level,” said a senior state Congress leader. “Ten dedicated party workers constantly call polling workers at the booth level. We have a list of people who hold influence in their pockets; we remain in touch with them. Besides, we had prepared a list of people within the BJP, our rival camp, who are annoyed with the candidate of their party. This is our secret game plan.”

The leader claimed that as per the ground reports he had got, the BJP would only win Panki and Bhawanathpur among the 13 seats that voted on Saturday.

“We are very keen about the outcome of Lohardaga seat where our former party president Sukhdeo Bhagat is contesting as the BJP nominee against our state party president Rameshwar Oraon,” the Congress leader said. “We are thankful to Union minister Amit Shah whose statement that he considers the Ajsu Party as part of the NDA alliance has consolidated Muslim voters in our favour. During election rally Bhagat touched the feet of Shah on the stage. Muslims can forgive Narendra Modi and Raghubar Das but not Shah. Bhagat has support base among Muslims but they hardly voted for him. Sarna votes were divided among the BJP, Congress and Ajsu Party whereas we got votes of Sadan, Christian and Muslim voters.”

At the Ajsu Party war room, near the BJP HQ in Harmu, party president Sudesh Mahto was taking feedback from workers.

“Shah tried to create confusion in the minds of the people by saying that we (Ajsu) will ultimately stay in alliance with the BJP. We quickly rebutted this speculation. We have a very positive feedback about the party for the first phase,” said a party worker.

Former chief minister and JMM working president Hemant Soren was campaigning in Kolhan division along with party general secretary Supriyo Bhattacharya.

“We were taking feedback over phone,” said Bhattacharya. “We are very confident that the UPA (Congress-JMM-RJD) will win at least 10 seats. The countdown of the BJP (exit) has started.”